Trial Date Scheduled In Murder-For- Hire Case

Rouzer trial in Franklin County tentatively set for April

By Chanin Rotz-Mountz STAFF WRITER

Gregory Aaron Rouzer will finally have his day in court this spring after several continuances were granted by the Court of Common Pleas in 2008 for the 40-year-old Harrisonville man who remains lodged in the Franklin County Prison, convicted of attempting to shoot and kill a man outside a Sipes Mill Road home.

Already convicted in Fulton County of attempted homicide as well as various assault charges in the February 7, 2008, shooting of Randy Walters and sentenced to a minimum of 14 years and seven months in a state correctional institution, Rouzer is slated to again appear before a judge of the Court of Common Pleas in April 2009 on additional charges of criminal solicitation-criminal homicide and criminal conspiracy engaging-criminal homicide. Both counts are graded as felony one.

Charged in Franklin County by local investigator Trooper M.B. Gordon of the McConnellsburg state police substation, the two counts stem from alleged talks with a fellow prison inmate about wanting to keep Walters and Walters' girlfriend, Marian Wertz, from testifying in court. The talks ended with Rouzer obtaining the services of a hit man, who was in actuality an undercover officer.

In addition to charges being filed against Rouzer, charges were also filed against Rouzer's ex-girlfriend, Mildred "Midge" Tressler of Mercersburg. Tressler reportedly met with the undercover officer, and if approved by the court, she will be tried simultaneously with Rouzer during his tentative trial date set for April 8 and 9. Jury selection is slated for March 9.

The ruling to grant an additional continuance and delay the trial until the next trial term was handed down by Judge Douglas W. Herman on December 19, according to court docket listings.

Rouzer is represented by defense attorney Eric Weisbrod, and attorney James Reed will represent Tressler during the upcoming trial.